The Front Porch recently included an article discussing the dangerous effects of THC in marijuana, and that it will continually be more important to discuss these dangers with kids as marijuana continues to become more socially acceptable. The challenge is selecting when you should discuss it with your children and how it should be discussed.
“You don’t want to do it too early,” said child psychologist Nicole York. “Otherwise, you may be the one that essentially introduces the drug to them, and makes them curious about it in the first place. It is sometimes best to wait until they bring it up to you, or if you are watching a news story together about marijuana, plan a time to talk about it.” York also says to be careful not to lie about the effects of any drug you are talking to them about. “If you tell them something that isn’t true and they find out you lied about it, they’re going to think you lied about everything else. Feel free to be straight-forward with them.”

Finally, York says she recommends staying relaxed and open during the discussion. For that reason, she recommends that the parent(s) are high when speaking to their kids. “Marijuana causes most people to have less anxiety,” says York. “When you have to have these serious, anxiety-filled conversations with your kids, it is much easier to communicate if you’re high. Don’t tell them you’re high, but I think this will help get you through the talk.” York does not recommend alcohol prior to these talks. “Alcohol can sometimes cause a temper and potential bathroom breaks. So, when talking to your kids about marijuana, you should stick to using marijuana.”